FL S0206

Establishes the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Program within the Department of Health for patients with end-stage conditions or those expected to die within 1 year, allowing them to document medical treatment preferences on a standardized form

POLST forms must be signed by both the patient (or legal representative) and examining physician, include an expiration date within 1 year, identify the medical condition necessitating the form, and may not include directives regarding hydration or preselected decisions

Requires the Agency for Health Care Administration to establish by January 1, 2020, an electronic clearinghouse database for compassionate and palliative care plans accessible to health care providers and authorized individuals

Authorizes emergency medical personnel, facility staff, hospice care teams, home health agency personnel, and other health care licensees to withhold or withdraw cardiopulmonary resuscitation when presented with a valid POLST form containing a do-not-resuscitate order, with immunity from criminal prosecution and civil liability

Prohibits health care facilities from requiring patients to have or modify a POLST form as a condition of treatment or admission, and specifies that POLST forms do not affect life or health insurance contracts or premiums